Flexible coupling



Dec. 3, 1929. R. G. ANDERSON 1,738,416

' FLEXIBLE GOUPLING Filed Dec. 23, 1927 I [III/I.

RNS l l inventor 1 Robert G. Andersori His Ndviov-l'va1 4.V

Patented Dec. 3, 1929 erro araras i iV TENT ppm ROBERT Gr. ANDERSON, UF EBEE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRG GMPANY, A CIt-FURATIN F NEW YORK.

FLEXIBLE COUPLING Application led Eecember 23, 1927. Eeral No. 242,215.

ll/ly invention relates to llexible couplings and has tor its object to provide an improved and simplilied coupling ot rugged construction which will transmit torque from one rotatable element to another and at the same time permit universal relative movement be tween the elements. l accomplish this by connecting the rotatable elements by means of a coupling comprising two members pivotally connected together intermediate. the ends thereof, and connecting one end of each oli said members to one ot said elements and the other end of each oit said members to the other o1' said elements.

My invention will be more iully set iforth in the following description referring to the accompanying drawing and the features ot novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part ot this speciication.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section of a locomotive or car embodying my invention taken on the line 1-1 olf Fig. 2; llig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; lT ig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of F ig. 2 showing the relation of the coupling to the driving wheel and driving gear oi. the locomotive; Fig. l is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3 partly broken away; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the universal joint connection between the links of the coupling and the driving wheel of the locomotive or car, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line G-G of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the locomotive or car in connection with which l have illustrated my invention comprises a driving wheel 10 mounted in the usual manner on an axle 11, and a side trame 12 which is suported on the axle by springs 13 connected to the main trame on each side oit a saddle 1a, which supports the springs on journal bones 15. rllhe locomotive is driven by any suitable means such as an electric motor 16 provided with a pinion 17 engaging a driving gear 18. The driving gear mounted on a hollow quill shaft 19 surrounding the axle 11 and carried by bearings 2O extending trom the motor trame. lThis constitutes a unitary structure in which the driving gear and the pinion are maintained in alignment during operation oi: the locomotive or ear. ln order to minimize the dead weight carried on the axle 11 the motor and driving gear are supported on the side trame 12 by cross ties 122 lt is apparent that in rounding curves or passing over irregularities in the track the trame of the locomotive or car will tilt and move up and down on the springs which will cause tilting and vertical displacement of the axle 11 relative to thedriving gear 18. For this reason it is necessary to provide a ilexible connection between the rotatable elements comprising the driving gear 18 and the driving wheels which will permit the frame to move freely on the spring suspension system. This is done in accordance with my invention by pivotally connecting together two members 21 and 21 intermediate the ends thereof at 22, one end oit each of the members being pivotally connected to the driving gear by pivotal support lined thereto, and the other end ot each of the members being connected to the driving wheel 10 by a pivotal support 2a movable relative thereto. ln order to arrange the ends of the members adjacent the elements to which they are connected and simplify the construction of the coupling, the members 21 and 21 are preterably crossed and pivotally connected together at 22. It will be observed that ii the three pivotal supports 22, 23 and 2-1 were fined relative to the members 21 and 21 that the coupling would be rie'id, but this is avoided by securing the pivotal support 22 in sliding blocks 22a and 22" arranged in guideways 21a and 21" formed in the members. As shown in Fig. 6, the member 21 is olf lil-shaped cross-section and is formed with axially eX- tending guideways 21L in each side thereof, in which are arranged sliding blocks 22L iitted on a pivot pin 22. The mid-portion of the member 21 extends between the sides oit the member 21 and is provided with an axially extending guideway 21b in which a sliding block 22b is arranged. The sliding block 22b is loosely arranged between the sliding blocks and is also litted on the pivot pin 22. The pivot pin 22 and the sliding bloclrs 225l and 22b are retained in place by cover .be quite small. Vnect the pivotal support 24 to the driving '24 are in axial alignment.

a'slidin'g pivotal connection is provided between the members 21 and 21. Although thisV manner of movably supporting the members is simple and easilyconstrueted any other suitable connection may be used at any one of these pivotal connections instead of that shown.V In some instances it is necessary merely to tit pivotal connection 22 loosely in the members 21 and 21 as the relative movement of the members upon displacement of the aXes of the gear and wheel may I prefer to inovablyl conwheel by substantially parallel links 25 which are connected to the pivotal support and the driving wheel by ball and socket joints 25a similar to that shown in Fig. 5, one of each lofthe links 25 being carried by one of the pivotal supports 24. It is desirable that the coupling should be proportioned so that the angular velocity ratio between the driving wheel andthe gear should remain substantially constant and in order to make the variation between them negligible the links 25 are made of such length that where the axes of the driving wheel and the gear coincide the axes of the pivotal connections 23 and This forms a substantially parallel four bar linkage in which the links 25 form two swinging links, and the members 21, 21 and portions of the wheel supporting the pivotal'connections on the driving wheel form the other two links. As a result when the axes of the gear and driving wheels'are vertically displaced there is substantially no angular movement between them because the line of centers of the pivotal supports 25a remains substantially parallel to the members 21 and 21. The angu- `lar velocity ratio between the gear and the wheel is notl maintained exactly constant because the spring suspension system substantially restricts the relative movement between the driving gear and the driving wheel to the vertical. y Consequently, the pivotal connections 23 and 24 are slightly displaced from axial alignment when the axes of the wheel and gear are moved out of axial alignment, the sliding blocks 22 and 22b moving slight- Vly inthe guideways 21a and'21b in the menibers 21 and 21.

However, the links 25 are made long enough so that throughout the ran-ge of displacement of the axes of the driving gear and driving wheel the variation in angular velocity between them is practically negligible.

In the operation of the locomotive or car, the unitary structure comprising the motor 16 kand the driving gear 18 moves up and down vertically and tilts laterally on the lspring suspension system. lVhen the driv- Vvinggear and driving wheel are in the position shown in the drawing the vertical movement of the driving gear causes the links 25 to swing about the ball and socket joints 25, and the members 21 and 21 to turn slightly on the pivotal connection 22, at the same time moving the sliding block* 22l and 22b slightly in the guideways 21L and 2l. If the driving gear and wheel are rotated to a position at right angles to that. lshown in the drawing vertical movement ot the gear relative to the wheel swings the members 21 and 21 about the pivotal connections 22, 223 and' 2i and slides the blocks 22l and 22" in the guideways 21n and 21, at the same time swinging the links 25 on the ball and socket joint-s 25"L to compensate i'ior the change in distance between the pivotal connections 2i.

t will thus be seen that the driving` gear is flexibly connected to the driving wheel and is movable along all radii thereof, the movement along radii other than those at right angles described causing slightly modiiied movement in the parts of the coupling. Transverse tilting of the driving gear relative to the driving wheel in any position is not restricted as the links 25 are tree to tilt transversely on the ball and socket joints 25".

Torque is transmitted clockwise as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing by tension in the upner link 25 which tends to move the outer member 21 inwardly. rl`he outer member 21 is restrained by the pivotal conneetion 22 which subjects both et the members 21 and 21 to a bending stress and the lower member 25 to compression. In all positions of the links 25 the forces thereon act along their longitudinal axes so that the torque transmitted does not tend to change the position of the driving gear relative to the driving wheel. It is apparent that in transmitting torque counterclockwise as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 that the upper link 25 will be subjected to compression and the lower link 25 to tension, the members 2l and 21 at the same time being' subjected to a bending stress opposite to that to which they are subjected in transmitting torque clockwise.

I have illustrated my improved couplingr in connection with a locomotive or car, but it is apparent that it may be used in any device where a iieXible coupling is desirable. Moreover, modifications ot the toi-m ot my invention which I have illustrated and described will occur to these skilled in the art, and I desire it to be understood. therefore. that my invention is not to be limited to the particular arrangement disclosed except as defined in the appended claims.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ot the United States is 1. lin combination with two rotatable elements, a flexible coupling comprising two members pivotally connected together intermediate the ends thereof and arranged with their ends on opposite sides of each other, and means tor iletibly connecting said members to said rotatable elements.

2. ln combination with two rotatable clements, a ilexible coupling` comprising` two members pivotallj/ connected together intermediate the ends thereoiC and arranged with their ends on opposite sides oli each other, and ieans tor connecting one end of each oi said members to one oit said elements and the `other end of cach otV said members to the other ot said elements.

S. in combination with t-wo rotatable elements, a flexible coupling comprising two members pivotally Connected together in termediate the ends thereof and arranged with their ends on opposite sides oi each other, the ends of said members having` separate pivotal connections arranged substantially in axial alinement with each other.

ll. ln combination with two rotatable eiements, a tleaiible coupling comprising, two members, means tor pivotallv connecting said members together intermediate the ends thereof, said means beine,` movable axially of said members, and means for pivotzlly con neciginig;` said members at one end to one ot said elements and at the other end to the other oi' said elements.

5. ln combination with two rotatable elements, a tieiible coupling` comprisingl two members, means incluiling1 a sliding1 pivotal connection for securing said members together intermediate the ends thereof, means including;l pivotal supports lined on one olf said elements tor connecting one end ont each oil said members tner to, and means includin a pivotal support movably secured to the other oil said elements for connecting the other end ot each ot said members thereto.

(j. .ln combination with two rotatable elements, a ilexible coupling comprising two men'ibers, means including a slidable pivotal connection ior securingv said members toiether intermediate the ends thereof, means including pivotal supports lined on one of said elements Yfor connectingv one end ol' each oft said members thereto, and means includinp; links for pivotallv connecting the other end oi each oit said members to the other ot sain elements.

" ln con'ibination with two rotatable elei. ments. a .flexible coupling comprising' two members, means including a slidable pivotal connection tor securing said members to 1egether intermediate the ends thereot, means including pivotal supports hired on one oit said elements :tor connecting` one end et each oit said members thereto, and means includ ing; linls for pivotally connecting` the other end et each ot' said members to the other ot said elements, each of said links including; a universal joint connection between said other element and one oit said members respectively.

8. In combination with two rotatable elef` ments, a flexible coupling comprising two ends ot said members substantially in tra-ns verse alignment when the aires ot ments are in amai alignment.

9. ln combination 'f "'l said eleltli two rotatable elements, a ilerible coupling comprisinel two crossed members arranged with the ends ot one adjacent the ends oit the other, means includingl a slidable pivotal connection tor securing'said members together intermediate the opposite ends thoreo'li, means including; a pivotal support iii-:ed on one of said elements 'for conirooting;` one ot the adjacent ends oi said members thereto, and means including linlrs proportioned and arranged to maintain the adjacent ends ot said members in substantial transverse alignment when said elements are in axial alignment tor connectingr the other ot the adjacent ends of said members to the other ot said elements.

l0. ln locomotive or car having an axle with wheels thereon, a frame spring borne on said aille, driving; means tor said wheels includingv a driving;` gear carried by said trame, and means including two members pivotally connected together intermediate the ends thereof tor transmitting torque from said driving` gear to said wheels, said members beingarranged between said driving` gear and one ot said wheels and being1 axially movable with respect to the pivotal connection between them.

1l. ln a locomotive or car having; an axle with wheels thereon, a frame spring;` borne on said aide, driving means for said wheels including a driving gear carried b v said frame, means 'for tansmittingtorque :from said driving,` gear to said wheels comprising a flexible coupling having` two members pivotally connected together intermediate the ends thereof, pivotal supports fixed on said driving' gear ior connecting one end ot each oi said members thereto, and movable pivotal supports carried by said driving wheel for connecting1 the other end ot each or" said members thereto.

l2. ln a locomotive or car having an axle with wheels thereon, a frame springl borne on said. aille, driving` means for said wheels in cluding1 a driving` gear carried by said trame, and means tor transmitting torque trom said driving gear to said wheels comprising1 a flexible coupling having" two members pivotally connected together intermediate the ends thereof, pivotal supports lined on said driving gear for connecting,` one end of each of said members thereto, and movable pivotal supports connected by links to said driving Wheeleonneeting lthe other end of each of said members thereto.

v 13. ,In a locomotive or ear having an axle With Wheels thereon, a frame spring borne on said axle, driving means for said Wheel ineluding a driving gear carried by said frame, and means for transmit-ting torque from said driving gear to said Wheels comprising a flexible Coupling having tWo crossed members pivotally connected togetherv intermediate the ends thereof, pivotal supports fixed on said driving gear for connecting one end of each of said members thereto, and movable pivotal supports connected by substantially parallel links to said driving Wheel connecting the other end of each of said members thereto, said links being proportioned and arranged to maintain the ends of one of said members in substantial transverse alignment with the ends of the other.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this QQndday of December, 1927. ROBERT G. ANDERSON. 

